Thailand

I won't bore you with the details of the flight between Frankfurt and Bangkok, only to say:
- squeezed inbetween two guys over 6'4"
- celebrated the New Year over Germany somewhere
- coughed for 8 out of the 10 hours of the flight
- they played the same stupid movie twice
- slept for 2 hours, if that, of the 10 hour flight
- food was terrible
- and they played the same stupid movie twice (when you don't sleep this is a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They promised Toy Story 3 but didn't deliver and I was the only one awake to notice!)

We arrived in Bangkok, having just had breakfast and it was 3.30pm in the afternoon. Weird! We then booked in for our flight to Chiang Mai and waited around for a couple of hours, feeling jet lagged and very very tired. Our flight with Thai Airways to Chiang Mai was a wonderful flight, with the plane only one quarter full and space and our own TV...bliss. I'm afraid Lufthansa do not have my vote for best airline...especially for long haul flights. Very uncomfortable! (Although here is an interesting fact: Lufthansa won the "Best Fun Airline" in 2010". Why? Because of the "pillow fight" flight! Go figure!)

We finally arrived at our destination and our host family were there to greet us! We were so happy to see the Siamphukdee family as they were to see us! Hugs all round!

I can't remember to sequence of events, but David was examined by Dr Judy shortly after our arrival and was promptly put onto antibiotics for his Bronchitis. I refrained from taking these antibiotics as being the "special one" that I am, I knew that I could possibly be allergic to these. David showed signs of improvement straight away, but I was still struggling with Bronchitis, anxiety (wanting to go home!), lack of appetite (for over two weeks - very very unusual for me - I love my food as anyone would attest!). Finally, Dr Judy had had enough of me not improving and insisted that I take antibiotics. I was too weak to disagree. So I took them for one day - all good! Two days - what's that red welt on my leg? Just heat rash. Day 3 - rash on my body from head to toe - not heat rash but a lovely reaction to antibiotics...I am so precious and special! (David says it's self-fulling prophesy, but I just say I'm special!)

I hate being special.

Our dear hosts, who had a full and wonderful week planned for us, were very patient with us as we needed to rest. So we only did about half the things Peter had planned. We did get to the highest point in Thailand, some 2,500 metres, and to the King and Queen's memorials not far from the highest point. Unfortunately, "special one" was having trouble breathing at this altitude and we needed to curtail our journey and go back to the hotel. Disappointing!

Handicraft village! Here they make the
Thai umbrellas!

Lunch at Tiger Kingdom! I declined the offer to go into
the cage with 4 very large tigers to have my picture taken
with them. I might have been lunch!!!!

At the night market! Thousands of people!

As the sign says "highest point in Thailand".

Memorials to the Queen (left) and the King!
Magnificent temples and stunning gardens.

We were taken to some temples in the area, and we appreciated the beauty of these buildings and watched with interest the monks and their routines. Very interesting! We had lunch at Tiger Kingdom, and watched as terrified people entered the cage with four very large tigers, and lay down next to them to have their picture taken. The tigers were like very large domesticated cats, but I didn't feel so inclined to join them. We also went to night markets, which were very busy, but full of life. Like many countries we have visited, they only come alive in the evening.

We were treated to some wonderful Thai meals while we were here! We love Thai food, but with a lack of appetite, I was very frustrated.

Toward the end of the first week, David had improved dramatically, but "special one" still needed to rest. Finally came the day we left Chiang Mai to drive (with our host family) to Chiang Rai to meet up with the Mission Trip participants. I had been emailing the tour director regularly to let him know our health progress, and really thought that we would both be going out to the village some 300 kms into the mountains from Chiang Rai, where there was no running water and no electricity, for mission work. But I was wrong!

I was not doing well...David and I finally decided that it would not be good for me to travel out into the back-blocks of Thailand still not 100%, not even 70%. So, it was decided that I travel back to Chiang Mai to stay with the Siamphukdees and David travel on alone to the village for extreme camping. I was so disappointed...I cried...alot!

Then the reality of David leaving came at 9.00am the next morning! I cried...alot! David and I have been together for 16 weeks 24/7, "Team Paech" was breaking up for this one week...the last week of our travels. I feel like a failure, to have faltered so close to the end. But it was the right decision and I am slowly improving and have finally got some of my appetite back.

So please pray for David and the Mission team (11 others) working with the very poor villagers in the Nan province of Thailand. He will be having a ball, I know! But pray for continue health improvement and safety.

I miss him very much. I am crying...alot! Can't wait for Team Paech to be together again and to be home!

Thank you to all who have followed along with the Paech Blog. We have really appreciated your comments as they have kept us connected to the "real" world back home! We look forward to catching up with everyone in the very near future. God bless you all!

With our love, Chris "special one" and David "extreme camper"